Courtesy of an environmentally conscious architect and a modern contemporary local builder, Marco’s Y has added another feather to its campus upgrade cap.

The Y’s new Youth Development Center scored a Sand Dollar award at the recent Collier Building Industry Association’s annual banquet.

The CBIA awards recognize excellence in building. Architect for the youth center was LDG Florida Architects, Inc., out of Lake Worth, and builder was BUILD from Naples.

“The building was part of the Y’s master plan, and we worked with them to develop it,” said John Szerdi, president of LDG. “It was interesting because that part of the property was triangular shaped … wedged between the parking area, the swimming pool and the airnasium. It was challenging, coming up with a design to keep everything functional.”

After the Sept. 24 awards, BUILD said in a press release the Y’s goal had been to “achieve a durable, long-lasting space for the youth of Marco Island while being conscious of budget restraints.

“This project was a high profile project for the Marco Island community and was completed successfully on time and on budget,” the release continued.

In addition to the Marco Sand Dollar award, BUILD also picked up two others – one for its own headquarters (best office/commercial park under $1-million) and the other for best retail project under $1-million for client Republic of Décor.

The Marco Y youth center was in the best public works category with the price range between $1-million and $3-million.

Architect Szerdi said for the youth center project he had “borrowed from the existing lie and neighborhood around it.”

The city of Marco, he said, had been most supportive.

“They are contemporary with their system,” he said. “We submitted everything digitally. They (the city’s planning, zoning and building departments) are probably one of the more modernized departments I’ve dealt with.”

Turning to esthetics, Szerdi said it had been important for the building to be a “welcoming, inviting structure on the campus,” and that he particularly liked the cantilevered entrance façade to the building in that respect.

BUILD said further that the interior has a “strong and sturdy fitness-style rubber floor, durable cabinets and a concrete flash block structure to ensure a long life.”

Work on the project started in April of 2015 and was completed in September the same year. It comprises 5,830 square feet, and is fitted all round with impact glass.

While Szerdi emphasized the value of 3D presentations to facilitate his side of the project, BUILD is at the moment also promoting its own App called Jobet. It is used to synchronize, solidify, and send daily reports.